Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-05-13


under cover of the oEOhh AM 0iANiO''
darkness, had swiftly and silently withdrawn
his force from the battle field of Cross Keys
and joined Jackson. The dawn of the 9th
found the Confederate army united and ready
for battle opposite Port Republic
Jackson thought quickly and acted almost
as rapidly. He determined to hurry across
the river burn the bridge behind him, so
Fremont could not cross then attack Shields
and have it out with him. This was similar
to Jacksons tactics throughout the cam
paign.
The plan was executed as designed.
Col Tyler led Shields advance. He had
only 5000 men, however, to throw against
Jacksons whole army. The "Stonewall brig
ade" met them first, flying beneath the Con-
federate the blue flag of Virginia The brig
age was commarded by Gen Winder, and
jackson himself was with it.
They opened lively fire, but Col Tyler's
heavy artillery was too much for even the
Stonewal brigade. Winder was forced back.
Col Tyler's men speedily occupied the ground
it had left The Federal left held a wooded
height, aud from that point deadly artillery
fire poured. Jackson ordered the louisiana
troops under Gen. Taylor to take it. Taylor
pointed to the guns with his sword and called
to his men: "Louisianians can you take that
battery With shont and IA cheer they
charged over the rough ground and up
| through the woods. 1t was desperate and
| bloody charge, and it was successful The
| Federal guns were captured and turned upon
| those who had lately manned them. Taylor
| was in turn forced back with his Confeder-
| ates. But Winder had rallied his men again.
| He poured tremendous artillery fire into
| the Federal front and left, and under it the
| Union troops began to waver. The wavering
became a retreat The artillery horses had
! been killed and all Tyler's guns but one had
! to be left on the field.
The battle of Port Republic was ended, and
Shields had been defeated.
| Just as the Federal retreat began Fremont
appeared with his army on the opposite bank
of the river But it was too late. The bridge
had been destroyed
After the battle of Port Republic, June Q,
Jackson escaped up the valley He dis
patched to Lee that day:
Through Gods blessing the enemy was this day
routed with the loss of six pieces of his artillery.
| T. J. JACKSON,
Major General Commanding.
| BY June II he was on his way to join Lee
at Richmond.
After Port Republic Fremont and Shields
fingered in the valley a while. The four
principal battles of the Shenandoah valley
campaign were Winchester otherwise kerns-
| town., Mcdowell Gross Keys and Port Re-
public.
The campaign of tho Shenandoah valley of
| 1862 began March IL with Jackson's move
ment from Winchester to Staunton. 1t end
ed June with the battle of Port Republic.
1t had paralyzed all the Union movements
before Richmond. The breach whch had al
ready been widening between Gen. Mcclellan
and Secretary of War Stanton was by this
campaign made irreparable. When Mellow
ellis men We're ordered to the Shenandoah,
after having been solemnly promised to Nc
Cellan, the latter gave over hope of ever
getting from Washington the re-entorcements
he needed, though he st Il continued to ask
for them AS to what the campaign directly
effected, Cooke, in his life of jackson, says;
ain three months jackson had marched
COO miles, fought four pitched battles, seven
minor engagements and daily skirmishes; had
defeated four armies, capturSl 1900 prison
ers, seven pieces of artillery, 10000 stand OF
arms and very great amount of stores, IN
fllcting on his adversary known loss OF 900
men, with loss on his own part compar-
atively small"
How it was possible for him TO thus make
successful raid down the whole length OF the
Shenandoah valley and back again, with
armies on three sides of him, containing alto
gether more than three times as many men as
his own, is one of the mysteries of war that
has never been solved. 1t was all dash,
sweep, a blow, aud then up and away again;
Rein up your hot horses and call in your men,
The trumpet sounds Rally 10 colors again
Some saddles are empty, some comrades are
slain,
And some noble horses lie stark on the plain.
But wars chance game, boys, and weeping is
I vain